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A review by alongreader
The Empire by Michael Ball
4.0
Look. No one is saying Michael Ball isn't an absolute legend, because he is. I've adored everything I've ever heard or seen him do, and Ball and Boe are permanently on my Christmas wish list. In fact, let me just run and see if this year's CD is showing up online yet...yes! Together in Vegas! Awesome!
Right, where was I?
Right, right! The Empire. Michael obviously has a deep, deep love of theatres and the people who populate them. The scenes set backstage are amazing. The characters are great. The fact that the bad guy is only a bad guy because he loves theatre a bit too much - wonderful. I want very much to see Hamlet!!! - I wonder if the RSC are showing anywhere near me any time soon?
However, the shenanigans were not my favourite part of the story. The prologue introduces us, very rapidly, to a lot of people who will later be varying levels of important to the story. In my proof copy, there's no spaces or definition between people, so one line is about Jack and the next is about Lillian and it took me a minute to catch up each time. Likewise, there's a cast list at the start, but in my proof it's all messed up so I couldn't track who each person was. Neither of these will be a problem in the finished copy, of course. The first half also goes by much slower than the first while pieces are being moved into place, but once it takes off it really takes off and by the end I was quite out of breath.
I don't know how closely Michael based the characters on people he's known - I'd be interested to learn who Usher might be! - but if this does ever get filmed, and I think it would be perfect for a Christmas evening movie, I'd like to suggest Michael as Ivor. He could do it perfectly!
I really did enjoy this, and I look forward to reading more in the series. I really don't know how Michael fits everything in!
Right, where was I?
Right, right! The Empire. Michael obviously has a deep, deep love of theatres and the people who populate them. The scenes set backstage are amazing. The characters are great. The fact that the bad guy is only a bad guy because he loves theatre a bit too much - wonderful. I want very much to see Hamlet!!! - I wonder if the RSC are showing anywhere near me any time soon?
However, the shenanigans were not my favourite part of the story. The prologue introduces us, very rapidly, to a lot of people who will later be varying levels of important to the story. In my proof copy, there's no spaces or definition between people, so one line is about Jack and the next is about Lillian and it took me a minute to catch up each time. Likewise, there's a cast list at the start, but in my proof it's all messed up so I couldn't track who each person was. Neither of these will be a problem in the finished copy, of course. The first half also goes by much slower than the first while pieces are being moved into place, but once it takes off it really takes off and by the end I was quite out of breath.
I don't know how closely Michael based the characters on people he's known - I'd be interested to learn who Usher might be! - but if this does ever get filmed, and I think it would be perfect for a Christmas evening movie, I'd like to suggest Michael as Ivor. He could do it perfectly!
I really did enjoy this, and I look forward to reading more in the series. I really don't know how Michael fits everything in!